Jane Frances de Chantal

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal V.H.M.
Foundress
Born	28 January 1572 Dijon, Burgundy, France
Died	13 December 1641(1641-12-13) (aged 69) Moulins, France
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Anglican Communion
Beatified	21 November 1751, Rome by Pope Benedict XIV
Canonized	16 July 1767, Rome by Pope Clement XIII
Major shrine	Annecy, Savoy
Feast	12 August 21 August (General Roman Calendar 1769-1969) 12 December (General Roman Calendar 1970-2001, Episcopal Church)
Attributes	Black religious habit with a silver cross necklace
Patronage	forgotten people; in-law problems; loss of parents; parents separated from children; widows

Jane Frances de Chantal, VHM (born Jeanne-Françoise Frémyot, Baroness of Chantal; 28 January 1572 – 13 December 1641) was a French Catholic noble widow and nun who was beatified in 1751 and canonized in 1767. She founded the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary.^[1] The religious order accepted women who were rejected by other orders because of poor health or age.^[2]

When people criticized her, Chantal famously said, "What do you want me to do? I like sick people myself; I'm on their side." During its first eight years, the new order also was unusual in its public outreach, in contrast to most female religious who remained cloistered and adopted strict ascetic practices.